Maps of Coventry

1968 map Ringway St John's was completed by 1959, the same time as Ringway St Nicholas. I know because I walked and cycled along it shortly afterwards! (It had a dedicated cycle lane in those days). It was connected to New Union Street at one end and the London Road roundabout at the other. St John's Street had already been completely obliterated along with most of the east-west section of Much Park Street. Here is an ATV newsreel film to prove it: Midlands News: 23.12.1959: New Inner Ring Road, Coventry Sadly there is no sound and that is not me on the bike!

Hi Dutchman, I have to say, I'm one very confused person now, because I've had so many conflicting pieces of evidence presented to me in my quest to make an accurate map for the 1968 period. If you take a quick look at the last image on this page of mine, which shows the stages of building for the various phases.... https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=develop ....well, that was taken directly from the booklet 'Engineering the Development of Coventry' by former City Engineer, Brian Redknap, in which he lists the final phases as being Ringways St. John's and St. Partick's, 1971-74 - with the first phase not starting until 1962 (Ringways Rudge and Queens). He does also state, however, and somewhat confusingly; "that the first two stages selected for construction, on the line of Ringway St. Johns and Ringway St. Nicholas Street, including cycle lanes, 1959 1960, could be related to current development.".... which makes me wonder if those early stages were not actually considered to be the building of the Ring Road proper, so to speak. But, when I originally drew my maps, I used a 1968 Geographia street plan, which plainly shows that whole southern part of the Ring Road as already finished, with only the Swanswell section incomplete and drawn in dotted lines. But then.... (the plot thickens!).... a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a chap who told me that my map was incorrect, because he actually came to Coventry in 1971 to work on the final phase of the Ring Road, and remembers St. Patrick's Road, Manor Road, Warwick Road, etc. still being in use. And that was why I spent an hour or three redrawing the relevant parts of my 1968 map. HELP!!!!! Whether I leave it as it is, or revert it back to how I had it, I'm going to offend someone! What should I do?

Compromise? Whether you regard it as part of the modern Ring Road or not the fact is that Ringway St John had long been completed by 1968 but as far as I remember Ringway St Patrick's had not. If you study the original plan Rob you will see that most of the intended Ring Road followed a very different route from what it does now. Only two sections had been completed before work was halted in 1960 so that traffic studies could be carried out. The route was then resurveyed to take account of safe turning radiuses at higher speeds before work could resume.

the best thing to do would be to draw a circle around the confusing area and write 'here be dragons' as in days of yore.

We call that 'Coundon' Elaine

I like that idea best actually.... I was very tempted!!! Mind you, nowadays someone would probably try to sue me when they can't find the dragons! I think I've got the '68 map a lot closer to being correct now.... thank you Dutchman for pointing out that great aerial shot on Cliff's site, which highlighted nicely the part I wasn't sure about. https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/covmaps/1968.php I guess there's no substitute for being old when it comes to remembering these things! (Time to put that tin helmet on!) Cheers, Rob

Looking much better now Rob 1968 Map

Great stuff! Thanks for the help and advice as always. Cheers, Rob

I lived in Holyhead Rd - corner of Minster Rd, from end of 1963 - end of 1968. The Holyhead Rd section of ring road wasn't touched in the early part of my being there because I used to walk to town all the way along Holyhead Rd and then up the precint to Broadgate. When they started work on that section of the ring road, I had to change my route and walk down past St Osburgs and along Hill Street, past Gas St. It was extremely muddy and they had a temporary pedestrian footpath along what was left of Hill St. It was completed while I was still at school, including the subway, so I would imagine that to be around 1966 - 67. Sorry to be picky, but this was my childhood area which I knew VERY well.

Rob's map is for 1968 so what is the problem?

Can someone please tell me how can I acquire a street map of Coventry from about 1955? Can I download one somewhere, or can I purchase one? I want to see beyond the town centre.

You could try www.old-maps.co.uk Not sure whether they have what you want but it might be worth a look

I'm sure there is a Coventry Street guide in the local section of our library. I'll see if I can get details later in the week.

This offer may be worth a try: LINK There was often a large map left out in the local history section of the central library but I haven't been there for a while so don't know if it still is.

Great spot Dutchman. Unfortunately it doesn't indicate on that web page what sort of area around coventry the map covers (not that the OP was specific) but the price looks really good. I guess the OP (original poster) could use the contact form on that page to ask.